In 2014, 269 active military service members committed suicide, as reported late last week by the Department of Defense (DoD) in its Suicide Event Report (DoDSER), a report indicating the number of suicide deaths and attempts by U.S. service members annually.
The 2014 total is up 10 from 2013. Within the selected reserve component in 2014, there was a total of 169 suicides, 80 in the reserve and 89 within the National Guard, down from 220 in 2013.
For every 100,000 U.S. suicides in 2014, 19.9 of them were by active military service members -- 21.9 within the reserve and 19.4 within the National Guard.
Beyond suicide, the DoDSER delves into other pertinent information on U.S. service members, such as their demographics, mental health, and number and location of deployments.
All information included in the DoDSER was provided by the armed services and has been calculated using the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System's data and the Defense Manpower Data Center.
The official DoDSER report can be found at www.dspo.milk.
If you or a loved service member is in need of help, contact the Military and Veteran Crisis Line, 800-273-8255, for 24/7 assistance. There is also online support via a chat service at www.militarycrisisline.net, or text 838255. All information is held in confidentiality for both service people and any of their relatives.
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